Poll shows NZ public divided over SAS deployment

The public is divided on whether they approve or disapprove of John Key's decision to return Kiwi SAS troops to Afghanistan. Photos / Patrick Gower, Herald graphic

The public is divided on whether John Key should have sent the elite SAS combat troops back to the war in Afghanistan, a new poll suggests.

The Herald-DigiPoll survey shows 44.6 per cent of people approve of the SAS fighting the Taleban.

But a similar number - 43.1 per cent - do not want them back in the increasingly controversial war.

The slim margin in support of the troops is in contrast to polls in the United States and Britain, where public opinion has turned against the eight-year-long war.

Both countries have suffered massive casualties, while New Zealand has not lost anyone.

The Prime Minister yesterday said he had "no reports" of the SAS involvement in any gun battles since the 71 SAS troops were sent in September.

They are to stay for 18 months, in three rotations, and are based in Kabul where duties include training a commando-style unit in the Afghan police force.

Their role is more dangerous and likely to involve much more combat than the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamiyan.

Mr Key said he was prepared to visit the troops in Afghanistan at some point.

Labour leader Phil Goff said he was not surprised people were divided over the return of the SAS, because there was no reason for them to be in the war in its current stage propping up President Hamid Karzai's corrupt regime.

Mr Goff said President Barack Obama's dithering over a strategy showed he was grappling with how to deal with the future in Afghanistan.

National's decision to send the SAS back when Washington did not have a clear strategy showed it had bowed to pressure to please the US.